Cannon-netting at Seixal and Samouco saltpansPete Potts, Ruth Croger, Nick Humphrys, Fiona Hoggarth and (last but not least) our friend José Alves offered us an excellent help with some cannon-net catches during their traditional Godwit visit in February 2009. On the 26th February, we caught 113 birds in Samouco saltpans (109 Dunlins Calidris alpina, 2 Curlew sandpiper C. ferruginea and 2 Little stints C. minuta). The next day we went to Seixal roost to catch about 90 birds (7 Dunlins and ca. 80 Redshanks Tringa totanus). There are now over 100 ringed Dunlins in the estuary as well as a few Grey Plovers, and so information on their whereabouts are most welcomed: please do contact us!
A lot of people were involved in the captures and so all the work went very smoothly and efficiently. We ALWAYS welcome everybody regardless of their experience, and so we wish to thank Pete's team and ALL participants for their great help. An excellent team work, thanks a lot everybody!
First Dunlins (Calidris alpina) and Grey Plovers (Pluvialis squatarola) colour-marked in SamoucoLast friday, 12 of December, we have started the colour-ringing program in order to individually mark dunlins and grey plovers in the Tagus estuary. The first birds were caught with mist nets in the Samouco saltpans, during a ringing session led by Afonso Rocha (EASS - Ringing Station from Salinas do Samouco).
Fieldwork is about to start.
Meanwhile, we had the opportunity to colaborate in another shorebird project in the Tagus estuary. In November, José Alves and the team of the Farlington Ringing Group led by Pete Potts have come to the Tagus estuary for the annual capture and colour-ringing of Black-tailed Godwits (Limosa limosa). A record was broken: 66 Black-tailed Godwits caught in a single canon-net shot! This long term study on the migration strategies and population dynamics of the Icelandic godwits has developed an extensive colour-ringing program with several hundreds of godwits being individually marked throughout the population range. The team invites the active involvement of all birdwatchers in this project which can be achieved by reporting the time and location of any of these colour-ringed godwits. Any valid record (complete combination of colour-rings) will be replied with the complete life-story and details (age and gender) of that same Black-tailed Godwit! Just drop an email to j.alves@uea.ac.uk
